Les Mis: Harry Potter
by AzelmaandEponine
Summary: A Harry Potter adaptation of 'Les Miserables'. I know it's been done before, but I don't think one's been finished before. Harry/Ginny, slight Ron/Hermione. Rated T for death, amongst other things.
1. Chapter 1

**I saw Les Mis in December, and I got the idea to do a Harry Potter version, but I was already working on my Teen Titans adaptation of 'Carrie'. So I put this on hold until that was finished. There will be no blocks of lyrics, but I will incorporate lyrics from the musical into the dialogue. Also, things from canon have been changed to make everything fit. (for example, some people who were related in canon aren't related here) Here's the first chapter. No flaming please, but constructive criticism is welcome. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Les Miserables.**

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><p>Sirius Black was sitting in his cell in Azkaban Prison, back against the wall, letting his shaggy dark hair fall into his eyes. He had been falsely accused of mass murder. He'd been there for nearly 20 years now.<p>

"Just 20 more years…" someone cried.

"Please, just let me die!" Rookwood screamed.

A door slammed, and a few moments later, Sirius's cell door was thrown open. He winced at the sudden light.

"24601!"

It was none other than Severus Snape. Snape was a sort of warden at Azkaban. Sirius couldn't help but feel a sneaking suspicion that this was because he liked seeing Sirius suffer. They'd been enemies in their youth.

Snape thrust a piece of paper at Sirius.

"Do you know what that means?"

"It means I'm free," Sirius said hoarsely, realizing what the paper was.

"No," Snape said. "It means you're on parole. You're a murderer, we wouldn't simply release you. You get your yellow ticket of leave."

"I was framed."

"Ridiculous, there was a street full of witnesses!" Snape said.

"They didn't see what they thought they saw."

"Enough! Because of your good behavior, you're being granted parole. But, if you don't learn the meaning of the law—"

"I know the meaning of those 20 years," Sirius said, glaring. "A slave of the law."

"You don't know what being a slave in here is like—many prisoners here have been in here since before you were born, 24601."

"My name is Sirius Black!" Sirius snapped.

"And I am Severus Snape. Don't forget my name. I'll be keeping an eye on you." With that said, he walked away. The Dementors led Sirius out of Azkaban and onto the mainland.

He reached a village as the sun rose the next day. _It's a new day. Let's see what the world can do for me._

He got a job working in the field for a Muggle. The sun was strong, and by the end of the day his back ached, and he was blistered and sunburned. He approached the farmer. The farmer dropped a few coins into his hand.

"You…you only have me _half _of what the other men got! This handful of coins wouldn't buy my sweat!" Sirius exclaimed. A worker shoved past him.

"You broke the law," the worker said, gesturing to Sirius's yellow ticket of leave. "Why should you get the same as honest men like me?"

The farmer and the worker glared at him for a moment more, and then Sirius left as the sun was setting.

"Damn it," he hissed. This was what freedom was. People turning him away because of a crime he had been framed for. As night fell, he began looking for a place to sleep.

"Sir," a voice called. Sirius turned around. An old man in a night cap and a night gown had exited his house. Sirius showed the man his yellow ticket, but the old man motioned for him to put it away.

"Come in, come in, you must be weary," the man said. Sirius thanked him, and followed him inside. "Our lives are humble, but what we have, we have to share."

The house wasn't extravagant, but was certainly comfortable. He saw two silver candlesticks were on the table and burning brightly. Sirius and the man—whose name was Albus Dumbledore, he learned—sat down at the table to eat. Sirius hadn't had a real meal in years, and ate ravishingly. He thanked Dumbledore repeatedly as the servants came in with a cot and bedding for him. After thanking them all again, he went to bed.

Actually, he _pretended _to go to bed. He couldn't get the image of all that silver out of his head. The silver would be worth much more than the farmer had given him. Because of that stupid yellow ticket, he'd never be able to earn a decent living. After he was certain Dumbledore and the others were asleep, he snuck into the dining room and took all the silver except for the candlesticks, which were too hot for him to handle. He dashed out into the street.

Sirius did not get far; before long, he was seized by two guards whom Sirius recognized from Azkaban—they worked for Snape. They brought him back to Dumbledore's house.

"Stealing?" one of them asked as he emptied Sirius's bag onto the floor.

"No!" Sirius lied. "It was a gift! He gave them to me!"

Dumbledore came down the stairs.

"What is going on here?"

"Go ahead, tell him your story! Let's see if he's impressed!" the second guard said.

"He says you gave this silver to him as a gift!" the first guard said.

"That is true," Dumbledore said. Sirius looked up, unable to believe it. "But, you left so early, you left these behind."

He held up the candlesticks, which were wrapped in cloth.

"I do not think a thief would leave the best behind," Dumbledore said. The two guards looked uneasy. "Release this man; he is telling the truth. I praise you for doing your duty." The guards left. Dumbledore scooped all of the silver, including the candlesticks, into a bag and handed the bag to Sirius.

"But remember this, Sirius Black. I want you to take the silver I am giving you and become and honest man." Sirius nodded, taking the bag.

"Thank you," he whispered. Dumbledore nodded, and Sirius left.

"What have I done?" Sirius whispered. "What have I done?" He'd become a thief in the night. There was nothing left but the cries of his hate. 20 years ago, they'd branded his chest with a number and murdered Sirius Black. He'd been thrown in Azkaban without a trial, just because Pettigrew had framed him. But Dumbledore had taken him in and treated him like a human being. And Sirius, who had come to hate the world that had hated him, repaid Dumbledore by stealing his silver.

When the Azkaban guards had caught him, his fate rested in Dumbledore's hands, Sirius realized. Shame filled him. Maybe Dumbledore was right—there might be another way for him to go. Sirius made a decision.

He reached into his pocket, took the yellow ticket of leave, and ripped into shreds, letting the pieces be blown away by the wind. Sirius Black was nothing now—it was time for another story to begin.


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, I know it would make more sense for Harry to be Cosette, but then I wouldn't have anyone to be Eponine. So, Harry and Lily are unrelated in this story. Also, I imagined Lily's lover to be Gilderoy Lockhart, not James Potter-James wouldn't do that to Lily. I know that the Malfoys only have one son, but in this story, they have two children. Here's chapter 2.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Les Miserables.**

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><p><em>10 years later<em>

It was the end of the day. At the end of the day, the factory-workers liked to chat before going home. Lily was holding a letter, and went into a corner to read it. As she read it, her face got paler with each word she read. She failed to notice her fellow factory-worker Marietta Edgecombe approach her from behind.

"Oh, what have we here, innocent little sister?" Marietta said, gleefully making a grab for the letter. "Come on, Lily, let's have all the news!"

They wrestled for a few minutes over the letter until Marietta was holding it triumphantly. To Lily's horror, she began to read it aloud for everyone to hear.

"Dear Lily, you must send us more money—your child needs a doctor—there's no time to lose!"

Lily made a desperate grab for the letter. Marietta held it out of reach, smirking.

"Give me that letter!" Lily snapped. "It's none of your business!"

Lily lunged at Marietta, and they both fell to the ground, once again wrestling over the letter.

Sirius, who was known to everyone as Mr. White, came out to see what was going on.

"What's going on? I run a factory, not a circus," he cried, holding Lily back as the foreman held Marietta back. Sirius turned to the foreman.

"I look to you to sort this out, but please be as patient as possible."

Sirius went back to his office.

The foreman turned to Lily and Marietta.

"Explain," he said coldly. Marietta approached him, holding out Lily's letter.

"We were fighting over this. I was curious about Lily's daughter, but she wouldn't let me read it," she said. The foreman looked at Lily, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"You have a daughter?"

Terrified, the red-head nodded. The foreman read Lily's letter.

"You stay," he told Lily. "Everyone else, out. The day is over."

After the factory was empty, the foreman spoke again.

"When I hired you, you told me you had no family."

"Please—"Lily said. "I was afraid you wouldn't give me a job—my daughter lives with an innkeeper and his wife—they have two children, so my Ginny can play with them. I have to send money for her—what's wrong with that?"

"You're going to have raise money for her elsewhere," the foreman told her, giving her a pink slip. "You lied during your interview. I'm going to have to let you go."

"I _must _lie!" Lily exploded. "How else can I get a job? Raise money and support her?"

"It is not my fault," the foreman told her.

"Of course it isn't," Lily said. "I just fell in love, that's all—"

"Being 'in love' is no excuse for having a child out of wedlock," the foreman said. "I have no choice but to let you go. I'm sorry."

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><p><em>Fired.<em> The word echoed in Lily's mind as she walked down the streets of London. Lily fingered her wand, now wishing she'd just summoned the letter away from Marietta instead of just letting her read it out loud. But of course, she couldn't have done that—Muggles worked at the factory, too.

Tears leaked out of Lily's green eyes. She was now unemployed and had no money, and Lucius was steadily increasing the price of Ginny's care. She needed to come up with more money quickly, especially since Ginny was sick and needed medical attention. If she didn't receive medical attention, Ginny could die. She needed to get more money for Ginny. Her father hadn't bothered to stick around to take care of Ginny, but Lily loved Ginny more than anything. She'd get the money so Ginny would become well again.

When Lily had met Ginny's father, she'd been taken with him—so charming. She'd thought that they'd be together forever. But once she'd become pregnant with Ginny, he'd left her. Lily had dreamed that life would be different from what she was living—but real life had killed that dream. Lily was aware that he was never coming back, and that she must support Ginny on her own. No one would help her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, I don't know a lot about prostitution, so please bear with me. Also, in this story, Snape is not love with Lily. Not going to work here.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Les Miserables.**

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><p>Lily couldn't believe she had sunk this low. She sold her hair and her necklace, and had gotten fifteen pounds. She was standing in a group of whores as the customer began to arrive. It was for Ginny, though. She needed to do this for Ginny.<p>

When Tom Riddle arrived, he surveyed the women. His eyes drifted to Lily, who fell into a coughing fit. She'd been doing that quite often recently.

"Come closer, you," he said, pulling her towards him. "I like to see what I buy."

Lily squirmed out of his grip.

"No, no, I don't want you, let me go."

"Is this a trick?"

"No, not at all."

"You've got some nerve, you little whore!"

"It's not for the harlot to pick or chose," one of the whores said.

Riddle grabbed her arm and attempted to drag her off, but Lily, using her free hand, hit him across the face. There was blood on his face from where her nails had scratched him.

She seized her wand and pointed it at him threateningly, no longer caring if Muggles where there or not.

"You'll pay for that, you slut," Riddle hissed. He turned to a man that had arrived with him. "Go and alert the authorities."

"No! Please! Don't report me, I'm begging you," Lily pleaded. A few minutes later, Riddle's friend was back with a few Muggle police officers and Severus Snape. Lily knew that Snape had worked at Azkaban, but he'd recently been stationed in London, in the Muggle police force.

"What is going on here? Who attacked this good man?"

"Snape, would you believe it," Riddle began, his tone innocent, "I was just taking a walk when this prostitute attacked me. See the damage she did?" He pointed to his face.

"She'll answer for her actions when you make a full report," Snape said. "Arrest her."

"No!" Lily cried. "Please, sir, there's a child who desperately needs me! If I go to jail, she'll die!"

"I've heard such protestations for twenty years. Honest work is the way to make a living," Snape said coldly.

Lily wailed as an officer handcuffed her. Just then, a man stepped out from the crowd, which had formed to see what all the commotion was.

"Hold on a minute, Snape, I believe her."

Snape turned around and was surprised to see a man whom he recognized as Mr. White there. They'd never been introduced, but he knew him by sight, and knew that he was wealthy and ran a factory. Snape also noticed that he looked oddly familiar.

"But, Mr. White—"

Lily looked up, shocked. Was he really helping her?

"You've done your job. Now leave her alone—she needs medical attention, not a jail."

Snape looked highly irritated, but motioned for the policemen to release Lily, and they did so. Sirius knelt next to Lily.

"I've seen you before, but I don't know your name," he said.

"I'm Lily," Lily said in a cold tone, then dissolved into another fit of coughing.

"Let me help you," he said. "How'd you end up here?"

"Don't mock me, Mr. White," Lily said. "You let your foreman send me away. Yes, you were there, and didn't do anything to help me."

Sirius's mouth had gone dry. Had he really done such a horrible thing to an innocent person? He'd acted rashly again—he didn't realize what letting his foreman fire a worker could really do.

Lily continued on.

"My daughter's dying," she said. "Please, if only I could die in her place."

Sirius helped her up. Lily fell into another coughing fit.

"I'm going to bring you to a hospital, Lily. You'll get help there. I'm going to ensure you'll get taken care of."

As he led Lily away from Snape and Riddle, he remembered how Dumbledore had helped him when he so desperate. He would do the same for Lily. He'd caused her to sink this low, and he'd fix what he'd done. Sirius promised himself he would fix what he did.


	4. Chapter 4

**Toby, thanks for your review. You bring up many valid points, but the cast is going to stay the same. Here's chapter 4. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Les Miserables**

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><p>A few days, Sirius was walking down a street when he noticed a large crowd. There was black smoke billowing out from a burning house.<p>

Sirius pushed through the crowd. Someone was crying for help from the burning house. He rushed forward.

"No! Mr. White, you'll be killed in the fire!" someone cried. Sirius kept running, passing Snape.

Inside the building, there was falling debris. He quickly headed towards the voice. In a room on the ground floor, the voice was calling for help from inside a closet which was blocked by debris. Sirius shifted the debris so he could open the door, wincing as it singed his hands. Having left his wand at his house, he had to resort to using his hands.

Upon opening the door, he saw a small child. He picked the child up, raced out of the room and out of the burning house.

When he arrived outside, he set the child down as the crowd cheered.

"Impressive!" someone said. "He did that in less than 5 minutes!"

When Snape heard that sentence, he remembered something. When he knew Sirius Black in school, he had been very quick. Now that he thought about it, Mr. White _did _look a lot like Black. The entire reason he'd stationed himself in the Muggle police force was to find Sirius Black.

"Has he always been this quick?" Snape asked the person who called Sirius's feat impressive.

"I don't know; this is the first time I've seen him do that kind of thing."

"Excuse me, Mr. White? You make me think of one other, who was this quick. But it's impossible."

"Who? Go on, say what you must," Sirius said.

"He's a prisoner who broke his parole. He's been 10 years on the run. We've just found him and he's been rearrested. He denies it, but that's expected, of course. He comes to court tomorrow. He couldn't run forever, not even Sirius Black!"

Sirius's stomach lurched.

"And—you're _positive_ it really him?"

"Yes. There's no doubt about it," Snape answered. "I must go now, if you'll excuse me…"

Snape left as the fire trucks arrived to put out the fire.

Sirius stared after him.

Snape thought a stranger was him. Sirius didn't know what to do. Was he really going to let an innocent person go to Azkaban in his place? He didn't want that to happen.

Yet if Sirius himself was arrested, what would happen to his employees? And Lily? Lily was quickly fading, although she tried to hide it.

Unless there was some way to admit he was Sirius Black, escape before they could arrest him, and get back to Lily to help her and her daughter Ginny. If he managed _that _it'd be a miracle.

But there was no other alternative. He turned towards his home to pack—he needed to be prepared for tomorrow.


	5. Chapter 5

**Here's chapter 5. I think it's slightly short, but it's longer than the last chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Les Miserables.**

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><p>When Sirius arrived at the trial the next day, it had already started. He noticed that his cousin Bellatrix and her husband Rodolphus were there, presumably to identify the defendant as him. As he laid eyes on the defendant, Sirius realized that the defendant <em>did <em>look a little bit like him. The Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge himself was there.

After both witnesses had testified, Sirius turned to the minister.

"Minister, may I address the court?"

"Um, yes, Mr. White," Fudge said, slightly surprised the factory owner had turned up. He'd known that man was a wizard, but he hadn't expected him at the trial.

Sirius got up and walked over to Bellatrix.

"Do you know who I am?"

Bellatrix stared at him.

"I know who you are," Sirius continued. "You're Bellatrix Lestrange. That's your husband, Rodolphus."

"How do you know that?" she asked.

Sirius ignored her.

"The two of you were imprisoned in Azkaban for torturing Frank and Alice Longbottom until they lost their minds. Bellatrix, you were in the cell directly across from Sirius Black's," Sirius said, disregarding the shocked looks he was receiving. He turned to Fudge.

"I know them. Bellatrix is my cousin. I'm Sirius Black."

"I knew it!" Snape cried, but he was the only one to speak. Everyone else appeared to be in shock.

"Mr. White, I know you have a big heart—"Fudge began.

"I can prove it!" Sirius said. He removed his robes and lifted his shirt to reveal the number '24601'. "I'm Prisoner 24601!"

There was silence in the court room. No one, not even Snape, was moving.

"Go ahead and discuss it," Sirius said. "You'll find that I am indeed Sirius Black."

He exited the court room.

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><p>Lily's life was coming to an end. Everyone knew it. It didn't help that people who worked at the hospital couldn't figure out what she had.<p>

"She thinks you have her daughter," one member of the hospital staff told Sirius quietly when he arrived. "She's been going on about her daughter for ages."

Sirius knelt next to Lily's bed.

"Lily, our time is running short," he said.

"Mr….White…"Lily gasped. "I…I won't make it…my Ginny…you'll tell her I love her, won't you?"

Sirius nodded.

"Yes, of course I will."

"And…you'll raise…her, right?"

"Yes, I promise."

"Thank you. I…can rest...in peace."

"May you be at peace," Sirius said. Lily was dying, and he didn't know what else to say.

With the last of her strength left, Lily smiled at him. Her eyes closed, and she took her last breath. Her body went limp.

She was dead; Lily would no longer suffer.

When Snape entered the room carrying a warrant for Sirius's arrest, it came as no surprise to Sirius. Snape pointed a wand at him.

"At last, Black, we see each other," Snape breathed.

"Snape, before you arrest me, please listen. There's something I must do," Sirius said. He gestured to Lily's body. "This woman leaves behind a suffering child. I'm the only one who can interfere; she has no other friends or relatives. Please, I only need 3 days at the most."

Snape sneered.

"I'm not stupid! I know just what you're up to! Men like you never change, 24601!"

"Believe whatever you want about me," Sirius said shortly. "You don't know anything about me."

"I was born with nothing!" Snape said in an angry tone. "I was very poor, and my father—"Snape cut himself off before he told _Sirius Black_, of all people, about his father. "It isn't that fact that one has nothing, it's the choices you make."

"Snape, I'm warning you," Sirius said, pulling out his wand. "I _will _do what must be done. If that means attacking you, then so be it."

"_Expelliarmus!"_

"_Protego!" _

The jet of red light rebounded, hitting Snape instead, causing Snape's wand to fly out of his hand. Sirius sprinted over to Lily's bed, and grabbed her cold, dead hand.

"I promise you this," he whispered. "Your child will live in my care, and I will raise her to the light."

Snape was blocking the exit, and holding his wand, having retrieved it.

"There will be nowhere for you to hide. Wherever you are, I will be there," he said.

"_Stupefy!" _Sirius cried. The jet of red light hit Snape, stunning him. Sirius disapparated with a loud crack.


	6. Chapter 6

**In this story, Cho is Draco's sister. Here's chapter 6. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Les Miserables.**

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><p>Ginny was scrubbing the floor of the Malfoys' home. Her fiery red hair was like a tangled rat's nest, and she was very thin and small. Ginny paused, thinking of the place she often visited in her dreams.<p>

She always dreamed of a large castle with lots of children. She never had to clean any floors, and no one ever shouted at her or beat her. And there was a really pretty lady with red hair there. She held Ginny and told her that she loved her. Ginny smiled wistfully at the thought.

"Are you done yet?"  
>Narcissa Malfoy's sharp voice pulled Ginny out of her daydream. Ginny jumped, and hurriedly began scrubbing the floor again; she couldn't be seen daydreaming.<p>

Narcissa entered the room. She glared at the small girl.

"Well, look who it is! The little blood-traitor herself! Pretending she's been so good! I better _not _catch you slacking!"

Ginny said nothing, and continued scrubbing.

"Girl, I need you to go and get some bread. We need some more at the inn. And make sure you go to the wizard-run store, not the filthy Muggle-run one," Narcissa said. Ginny timidly got up. Some Galleons were thrust into Ginny's small hand. Just then, two children, who were about Ginny's age, ran into the room.

"Cho, Draco, come my darlings, you both look so adorable!" Narcissa cried, holding her arms out towards her children. Both children ran into her arms.

Ginny watched the scene, forlornly wishing that someone would hold _her _like that. Draco grinned nastily at her. Cho ignored her completely. Despite the fact that Cho was Draco's sister, they looked nothing alike. Draco was blonde and grey-eyed, while Cho had brown hair and brown eyes.

Draco pointed to Ginny, who had still not left. She didn't want to go out now, not when it was so dark outside. Narcissa released Cho and Draco and turned to Ginny.

"Still there, girl? I _told _you to go and get some bread!"

"Please no—not when it's so dark out, and all on my own—"

"Enough complaining, or I won't be nice!" Narcissa snapped as Draco snickered. Ginny shrank back slightly. "Go!"

Ginny hurried out of the house. Outside, it was quite cold. Ginny shivered. She was only clothed in rags, so she was freezing. After she had bought the bread, she heard footsteps. Ginny quickly turned around.

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><p>Sirius had arrived at the town where Lily had said her daughter was, and was now looking for Ginny. Up ahead, he spotted a small, figure. He took out his wand.<p>

"_Lumos_," he muttered and the tip lit up. Using his lit wand, Sirius realized that the figure was a small, red-haired girl clothed in rags. The girl turned around suddenly.

"Who are you?" the girl said softly.

"I'm Reg," Sirius said quickly, using a shortened version of his dead brother's name. He carefully approached her. "Why are wandering around out here, anyway? What's your name?"

"My name is Ginny," she said.

_Ginny?_ Sirius thought. _Lily's Ginny? This was her?_

"I was sent out to go get bread," Ginny continued.

"Who sent you?"

"Mrs. Malfoy—she runs an inn with Mr. Malfoy."

There was no doubt about it. This was definitely Lily's daughter.

"Can you take me to them?" Sirius asked.

"Yes," Ginny said, taking his hand and leading him towards the inn.

When they entered, Narcissa snatched the bread out of Ginny's hands.

"Took you long enough," she snapped. Sirius stepped forward.

"You are Mrs. Malfoy?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, her tone much more pleasant. Narcissa's husband, Lucius, joined them.

"Can I help you?" he said.

"I'm a friend of Ginny's mother. Speaking of Ginny, it interests me to see her alive and on her feet. Your letters said that she was gravely ill," Sirius said.

"She made a sudden recovery," Lucius said. "We were most relived."

"Unfortunately, Lily has passed away."

Narcissa let out a fake gasp and Lucius put his hand over his heart in mock-horror.

"Her last request was for me to raise her. Ginny will have a father now," Sirius continued, trying to keep things civil with the Malfoys.

Lucius and Narcissa exchanged uneasy glances.

"Well, this is the only home she's had," Lucius said. "And we don't even know you."

"I know that Lily still owed you about 100 Galleons," Sirius said, holding exactly 100 Galleons in his hand. "Now are we agreed?"

"That would be okay if she wasn't sick so often," Narcissa said. "She's a little dear, but medicines are expensive."

Sirius's temper rose as he put the 100 back into his robes and pulled out a bulging bag of Galleons.

"15,000 Galleons," he said, thrusting it into Narcissa's hands. He took Ginny by the hand. "Come on Ginny, say good-bye. It's time for us to go."

They left the inn without another word.

After a few minutes, Ginny asked,

"Where are we going?"

"Hogsmeade," Sirius told the small red-head.

"The village near Hogwarts?" Ginny said, her brown eyes widening.

"Yes," Sirius said. Ginny grinned, eager to start her new life.


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm sorry about the ridiculously long time it took to post this. I blame school. It was the end of the tri, and there were projects and finals. It didn't help that I had a difficult time writing this chapter. I don't think it's great, but here's chapter 7. Like I said before, Harry is not related to Lily in this story, and Cho is Draco's sister.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Les Miserables.**

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><p><em>Nine years later<em>

Things at Hogwarts were steadily getting worse.

Of course, with Voldemort so powerful, things were bound to get worse. Harry was aware of that fact. Slytherin students using Dark Magic was not uncommon, and Harry was pretty sure some had already joined Voldemort. He felt it was only a matter of time before they actually took over the school. Hermione had felt this way, too, and had formed Dumbledore's Army, (named after their former headmaster) to prepare students to fight back.

But today was a Hogsmeade visit, and visiting the village was always fun, whether Voldemort was taking over everywhere or not.

"Hey, Harry," a black-haired girl said, joining him while he walked down a street in Hogsmeade.

"Hey, Cho," he responded.

"You know, Harry, they say Kingsley Shacklebolt has little more than a week left at the most," Cho said.

"A week?"

"Yes, that's what everyone's saying."

"How do you know all this stuff, Cho?"

"I know things, Harry, I was once a student, too," Cho said. It was true. Cho had been a Ravenclaw, while her brother Draco had been a Slytherin, but their parents had pulled them out of Hogwarts. (apparently for monetary reasons, although Harry wasn't sure he believed this) They now lived in Hogsmeade.

"Cho, the things you know wouldn't be found in schoolbooks," Harry said. "When Kingsley passes, it'll be a real blow to us—the D.A., I mean—he's the only one in the Ministry who has any compassion for the poor and those who aren't pure-blood."

"Things just keep getting worse and worse," Cho noted.

"Things will get better. Voldemort won't stay in power forever," Harry said.

Cho didn't look like she believed that, but she didn't say anything.

"Hi, Harry!"

Harry turned around, and saw the Creevey brothers running towards him.

"Hello, Colin, hello Dennis."

"Harry—the next D.A. meeting starts in about half an hour—you didn't forget, did you?" Colin said eagerly.

"Oh—right, thanks, Colin," Harry said. At that moment, a teenage girl with fiery red hair walked out of a shop with a middle-aged man. Harry's stomach jolted. It was Ginny.

Harry had sometimes seen Ginny up at the school, usually hanging out with Hermione and Luna Lovegood. Luna always spoke highly of Ginny; Harry knew that Ginny was very kind, since she never made fun of Luna for her uniqueness. In fact, if someone _did _make fun of Luna and Ginny heard, Ginny would immediately leap to Luna's defense; Harry had seen it happen before.

According to Hermione, Ginny was homeschooled despite living in Hogsmeade. However, Hermione admitted she didn't know Ginny's address when Harry asked, since Ginny always came up to the school to see Hermione and Luna.

"Oh, no."

Cho's voice cut into Harry's thoughts about Ginny. He followed Cho's gaze, and spotted Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy and their son Draco leading a small group of people. Lucius, Narcissa and Draco were approaching Ginny and the middle-aged man, whom Harry assumed to be Ginny's father.

"Harry, you need to leave," Cho said.

"Why? Cho, what—"

"Get out of here!" Cho said fiercely. "You need to go!"

Harry didn't move; he stayed, watching, as Lucius, Narcissa and Draco approached Ginny and Sirius.

"Please, sir, can you just spare a few Galleons?" Narcissa begged. "My poor son hasn't eaten in days!" She gestured to Draco, who immediately adopted a pitiable look.

"It's true, I'm so very hungry," he moaned. Lucius said nothing; he was studying Ginny and her father. After a moment, a flash of recognition crossed his face.

"I know you!" he said. "Sir, you're the man who bought off Ginny!"

Cho was shocked. _That _was Ginny? The pretty red-haired girl with the middle-aged man was the same Ginny who had once worked in her parents' inn? Now Cho recognized her. While Ginny was now clean, well-fed, and her hair was brushed, she still had the same vivid red hair and freckled face. Cho couldn't help but feel rather jealous; Ginny was clearly doing very well, while Cho and her family had to scrape a meager survival.

"Are you crazy?" Sirius cried, feeling slightly panicked. How did they recognize him?

"Of course not," Lucius said, sneering slightly. "But I haven't forgotten you, or Ginny."

Lucius whipped out his wand and fired a curse at Sirius. Sirius was barely able to duck. He took out his own wand, and fired a stunner, which Lucius deflected. A duel was breaking out.

"Harry?" Dennis said. "Should we do something?"

"Yeah, someone's going to get hurt if this keeps up," Harry said, taking out his wand and heading towards Ginny. Draco fired a spell, which hit Ginny and knocked her to the ground. Harry rushed towards her, and helped her up as Colin started dueling with Draco.

"Hey, are you alright?" Harry asked Ginny.

"Yes," Ginny said softly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Harry said, his face growing rather warm. "I—I've seen you around before—"

Harry was interrupting by Cho's scream.

"The authorities are here! Run for it!"

The air left Sirius's lungs when he heard this. Glancing around, he spotted Snape accompanied by two guards approaching, their wands out.

At the sight of Snape and the approaching guards, Lucius, Narcissa, Draco and the gang attempted to apparate away, but found themselves unable to; apparently, an anti-apparition charm was in effect.

"Those thieves were trying to rob that man and that girl!" Dennis cried, pointing to the Lucius, Narcissa, Draco and the gang. The guards immobilized them before they could run off.

"Ginny! Ginny!" Sirius grabbed Ginny by the hand, and quickly began to lead her away, which ruined any chance for Harry to talk to her. Ginny glanced back at Harry sadly before Harry lost sight of her completely.

After bounding the thieves, the guards took off the immobilization curse. Snape looked around, looking confused.

"Who was that man? Why did he run?" Snape asked.

"He came to our inn 10 years ago," Lucius told him. "He took Ginny away."

Snape stared at him, shocked. The name 'Ginny' was familiar.

"It's him. Sirius Black," Snape whispered. "Prisoner 24601. Ginny was the name of Lily's daughter. She was the girl he was going to rescue." Snape vaguely recalled that Ginny had been in the care of an innkeeper. "Fate is giving me a second chance!"

Snape was determined to make sure Sirius wound up in prison—he wouldn't rest until he accomplished that goal. Lucius Malfoy interrupted Snape's thoughts.

"Excuse me, sir," he said, "but in the absence of a victim, may we go? And when you catch him, please remember I told you about him."

"Yes, very well," Snape said, and with a wave of his wand, the thieves were released. Snape and the guards left.

Colin and Dennis exchanged looks.

"That Snape guy thinks he's something, doesn't he?" Colin said to Dennis.

"Yeah, but we run this place!" Dennis said.

"Colin—Dennis—"Harry said, approaching them. "You two should get back up to the school; I'll see you later."

Colin nodded.

"Come on, Dennis," Colin said, pulling Dennis towards Hogwarts. Harry ran towards Cho.

"Cho—do you know Ginny?" Harry asked her. Cho turned towards him.

"Yes, I know Ginny," Cho said carefully. "Why?"

"You _are _smart, Cho, you're street smart! You can find out where Ginny lives!" Harry exclaimed. Cho didn't answer. "Please, Cho!"

Cho's heart was breaking. She was thankful that Harry obviously counted her as one of his friends, but she wanted to be so much more with him. She knew it would never be, however. In all the time he knew her, he only saw her as a friend. Nothing more, and now he fancied Ginny. She felt tears prickling at her eyes.

"Okay," Cho said, forcing herself not to cry. "I'll find out where Ginny lives." She loved Harry, and wanted him to be happy—even if it was with another girl. "But—would you give me something for it?"

"Sure!" Harry said. "Anything!"

"Anything?" Cho whispered, a smile tugging at her lips.


	8. Chapter 8

**Again, sorry about the long wait, but my parents took my computer away, and I've had to sneak on and write this when they aren't looking. Here's the next chapter. Oh, and in case anyone is wondering, Ron and his brothers are unrelated to Ginny, so they are not overprotective of her. Also, since there is no prophecy in this fic, Harry has no scar.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Les Miserables.**

* * *

><p>"Harry, you're late," Hermione said, giving Harry a reproving look as he entered the Room of Requirement.<p>

"Hello to you, too, Hermione," Harry said, joining Ron. The members of the D.A. were gathered around Hermione as she discussed their ammunition (most of which had been supplied by Ron's twin brothers) for fighting back against Voldemort. Harry, unable to focus, found his thoughts turning back to Ginny. He'd been so close, but he'd lost his chance to talk to her again.

"Hey, mate, what's with you?" Ron's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "You're kind of distracted."

"It must be the Wrackspurts," Luna said vaguely from Harry's other side. "They make your brain go all fuzzy."

Harry didn't react to what Luna had just said, but Ron sniggered before turning it hastily into a cough.

"It's Ginny," Harry said.

"Oh," Ron said. "So it didn't go well with her, then?"

"I was just starting to talk to her, and then her father comes and drags her off!" Harry cried.

"Tough luck, mate," Ron said sympathetically. "Maybe next time."

"Ooo, what's this?" Fred Weasley said, exchanging grins with his twin, George.

"Is Harrykins—"George continued.

"In love at last?" Fred finished.

"This isn't a joke," Hermione said crossly. "You all must be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to create a better world. That's the reason for these meetings."

The room got silent as the students turned their attention back to Hermione. Harry's thoughts were still on Ginny, and was unable to focus on what Hermione was saying. The thought of a world without Ginny was a very black future to him. Just then, the door to the Room of Requirement opened, and the Creevey brothers rushed in.

"Has there been any word of more volunteers?" Hermione asked.

"There are about 10 in Hufflepuff who're interested," Hannah Abbott said.

"Hey! Listen!" Colin cried, attempting to get the students' attention.

"There's around 15 in Gryffindor," Neville Longbottom supplied.

"We need to tell you something!" Dennis cried.

"There are 11 Ravenclaws interested," Anthony Goldstein said.

There was a loud _bang_, and everyone turned to the Creevey brothers in time to see Colin lowering his wand.

"Kingsley Shacklebolt is dead," Colin said gravely. There was a stunned and sad silence.

"Dead?" Hermione echoed. "When?"

"It happened a little while ago," Dennis said. "A woman who works at the Ministry informed her daughter, we heard it from the daughter, and Colin and I ran here to tell you guys."

"Kingsley Shacklebolt is dead," Hermione said. "It's awful that he's dead, but it's what we need to gather the people and fight back against You-Know-Who."

"The funeral is in four days," Colin said.

"Then that's when the revolution will start," Hermione said. "We aren't going to be the only ones upset at Kingsley's death; others are going to want to fight back against You-Know-Who. We'll create a magical barrier on the Hogwarts grounds. Meanwhile, you all are going to have to spread the word—we won't be able to do this alone, we're going to need lots of volunteers. We can't just rely on students in the school."

"Dennis and I are joining you guys," Colin said as the students began to file out of the Room of Requirement.

"So, when are you going to try and talk to Ginny again?" Ron asked as he and Harry exited the Room of Requirement.

"I don't know. Whenever Cho finds out her address, I guess," Harry said.

"At least the girl you fancy isn't too focused on fighting back against You-Know-Who to even _consider _a relationship," Ron said, and Harry thought he heard a slightly bitter tone in Ron's voice.

No matter how much Ron tried to mask it, Harry was aware of Ron's feelings for Hermione. Harry sighed, deciding to let the subject drop before Ron got into a bad mood.

"Come on," Harry said. "Let's get back to the Common Room."

* * *

><p>On Sunday afternoon, Cho quickly ran through the corridors looking for Harry. She'd found out where Ginny lived, and as she promised, she was going to take Harry to her.<p>

He'd also promised her something in return—anything she wanted. She could even get the one thing she craved more than anything else—a kiss from him. Just one kiss would make her so happy.

She finally found him on the 5th floor.

"Harry! Harry!" she called, running over to him.

"Cho! Hi!" Harry greeted.

"Harry—meet me at the entrance to Hogsmeade in half an hour, and bring your invisibility cloak. I found her," Cho said.

A grin crossed Harry's face.


	9. Chapter 9

**Yes, I'm still alive. I finally got this thing written, there's been a lot going on lately. Anyways, James is alive in this fic, since there's no reason for him to be dead. I'm not real confident in this chapter, but it's nearly been 3 months since I last posted. So here it is.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Les Miserables.**

* * *

><p>Ginny was sitting in a chair located on her back porch. She'd attempted to talk her father into letting her go out for a walk, but he'd refused. This came as no surprise to Ginny; her father was rather paranoid at times, and what happened yesterday seemed to have really shaken him up.<p>

The events of yesterday were on her mind. The boy who had helped her up was Harry Potter—Hermione had pointed him out to her once. Luna also spoke very highly of Harry, and she had told Ginny that Harry had a crush on her. Ever since Luna had told her this, Ginny had felt—odd—around him. It was so sweet, the way he had helped her up yesterday, and he was cute. He was also very kind—she knew this from what Hermione and Luna had told her about him. She had almost introduced herself yesterday, but her father had dragged her back to the house before she'd gotten the chance.

The next chance Ginny got, she'd introduce herself. She wasn't going to let another opportunity pass her by.

* * *

><p>"So this is her house, then?" Harry asked Cho, clutching the invisibility cloak. He'd used it to sneak to Hogsmeade—he wasn't supposed to go to Hogsmeade on days that weren't scheduled visits.<p>

"Yes," Cho said, feeling more and more nervous by the second. Harry had promised her something in return for helping him find Ginny; she could finally get a kiss from him. "Harry, you—you promised me something in return, remember?"

"Oh, right—sorry," Harry said. "So, what do you want, then? I've got money—"

Cho's heart sank.

"I don't want your money, Harry," she said quietly.

"Then what—"Harry said, bewildered.

"Just go. Check around back first, she likes to sit in her backyard," Cho said, her voice soft. Harry blinked, then nodded, still confused at what it was Cho wanted. He handed the invisibility cloak to Cho, and slowly walked into Ginny's back yard.

Ginny was sitting in a chair located on the back porch. Harry noticed she appeared to be deep in thought. The familiar feeling of nervousness that he always felt around Ginny was back. He had to do this now.

"Hey!" Harry called out, approaching the porch. Ginny jumped slightly, and looked at him. Upon seeing him, a smile appeared on her freckled face. Ginny jumped out of her chair and ran into the yard to meet him.

"Hello," she said, a smile still on her face. "I'm Ginny."

"I'm Harry Potter," Harry said. "I've, uh, seen you around."

The minute the words were out of his mouth, Harry felt like kicking himself. He was doing this all wrong, he sounded like such a _fool_.

"Thank you for helping me up the other day," Ginny said after a slight but awkward pause. "It was…sweet."

Ginny's face went red as she said this.

"You're welcome," Harry said. There was another awkward pause. "I wanted to say hi and introduce myself before, but I always get—shy—around you."

"You know, the funny thing is, it's the same for me," Ginny said. "I feel sort of awkward and nervous around you, ever since Luna told me you liked me."

"Luna _told _you that?" Harry cried, mortified.

"It's okay," Ginny said. "I know you're a nice guy. And besides, I kind of like you, too."

Harry's heart rate quickened.

"Really?"

Ginny nodded.

"Really."

She liked him, too. Harry felt like the happiest man alive. She actually liked him back!

"So, uh, do you want to go out sometime?" Harry asked.

"I'd love to, but my father, Reg, doesn't let me out often. I don't really know why, but he's been like that for as long as I can remember. But we _can _meet here; he always lets me in the back yard," Ginny said.

"That'd be great!" Harry said. Even if they weren't going out to a fancy location to date, being with Ginny would be enough. "So, tell me about yourself."

Ginny looked slightly surprised.

"I don't remember much before I was eight," Ginny admitted. "When I was eight, my father and I moved here. My father said my mother died shortly before we moved here."

"I'm sorry about your mother," Harry said. "My mother's dead too. She died when I was very young. I live with my father."

"You're in the D.A. with Luna and Hermione, aren't you?" Ginny asked. "I'd like to join, too, and fight back against You-Know-Who, but my father would never let me. Speaking of my father, you'll have to meet him at some point."

"Oh," Harry said, unsure of how to respond to that.

"Not right away," Ginny quickly assured him. "Not until we're sure our relationship is going to work out. If he knew I was talking to you, he'd probably throw a fit."

"Right," Harry said. "Look, maybe we should continue this tomorrow; I don't want you to get into trouble because of me."

"Meeting here tomorrow would be nice," Ginny said. "I'll be out here at 7:00. But don't go yet."

Before Harry could respond, Ginny pressed her lips to his. Harry quickly returned the kiss.

* * *

><p>Cho was watching them from underneath the cloak. She forced herself to look away as Ginny kissed Harry. She felt like Harry had run a dagger through her heart. Tears built in her brown eyes and ran down her face. She furiously wiped them away. She'd always known Harry just saw her as a friend. But that didn't make this hurt any less.<p>

"Here it is," a familiar voice said from somewhere behind Cho. Cho's blood ran cold. Oh, not now—not _them. _

"This is the house of the bastard who bought off Ginny!" the same voice—which belonged to Lucius—continued.

_Oh no_, Cho thought in a panic. _They're going to rob Ginny's house—Harry will think I'm in on it, too!_

Harry's friendship and trust meant everything to her. She had to stop them. Cho took off the cloak, threw it to the ground and ran around to the front of the house. Lucius stared blankly at her.

"And you are?"

"That's your brat Cho," Pansy Parkinson, a member of the Malfoys' gang, snapped. "Don't you recognize your own kid?"

"Cho, go home. We don't need you here," Lucius said.

Cho fought the urge to roll her eyes. She knew very well that his reasons for not wanting her here were entirely selfish.

"There's nothing here for you," Cho said. "It's just the man and the girl—they live ordinary lives."

"She's going soft," Draco sneered.

"Cho, you're in the way!" Lucius hissed. "Get out of here!"

Cho glared, and silently tried to calm her pounding heart. She needed to be brave.

"I'll scream! I'll warn them!"

Draco gaped at her.

"Didn't think you'd ever try this hard to protect a couple of blood-traitors, Cho," he said.

"One little scream and you'll spend the rest of your life regretting it," Lucius snarled, taking out his wand pointing it at her.

"I told you I'd do it," Cho said.

"Don't you _dare_—" Narcissa warned, but it was too late. Cho took a deep breath and let out a high-pitched, bloodcurdling scream.

"Run!" Lucius said. "They'll be here soon, run!"

He faced Cho, and jabbed his wand at her chest.

"As for you—just you wait until tonight, I'll make you scream all right," he promised darkly, before scampering off.

She heard the sound of footsteps from behind her. Turning, Cho saw Harry and Ginny running towards her.

"Cho!" Harry said when he reached her. "You did it again! You saved the day!"

He turned to Ginny.

"Ginny, this is Cho. She brought me to you."

"Hello, Cho," Ginny said, smiling at her. "It was very nice of you to scare them off like that; thank you."

"You're welcome," Cho responded, forcing herself to smile. "Harry, I left the cloak back there somewhere."

Harry nodded, and ran to retrieve it. As he was coming back, the invisibility cloak in his hands, a noise came from inside the house.

"Damn," Ginny said. "It's my father—Harry, you and Cho have to leave—"

Cho sprinted over to Harry, and he hurriedly put the cloak around them, shielding them from view. The minute after Harry and Cho were safely hidden, Sirius came running out of the house.

"Ginny!" he cried. "Ginny, are you alright? I heard a scream—"

"I'm the one who screamed," Ginny lied. "I saw some suspicious-looking men in the street and got scared."

Sirius's mind jumped to Snape—he knew, or at least suspected, he was here. He and Ginny had to leave, in two days at the most.

"We've got to leave," he said. Ginny looked very alarmed. "In two days."

He'd prefer to leave in tomorrow, but he knew Ginny wouldn't like it—he'd give her one more day. They would leave first thing Tuesday. Staying here tomorrow would be slightly risky, but surely if Snape knew for a fact he was here, he'd be at his door.

"Two days?" Ginny repeated hoarsely. She'd just gotten to talk with Harry; she really liked him, and they'd agreed to go out. Now she had to leave?

Under the cloak, Cho looked at Harry. He was looking devastated. She reached out and touched his shoulder.

"She's leaving," he whispered. "I just found her—we were going to go out—and now she's leaving! I can't _believe_ this!"

"Are you going to follow her?" Cho asked him. Harry shook his head.

While the idea had crossed his mind and it was appealing, he couldn't. He couldn't just leave his friends to fight Voldemort. And even if he could get Ginny to stay somehow, he wouldn't. He couldn't risk her being in danger.

Ginny was leaving. And he wasn't going to follow her. He was going to fight Voldemort and his followers with his friends.


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm back. My Senior year of High School has been rather hectic-pathetic excuse, I know. But it's true, and I don't know how sporadic update are going to be from now on. I'm going to try and do better, but no promises. Anyway, here's the next chapter; again, it's not great, but I had to update this.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Les Miserables.**

* * *

><p>When Hermione entered the Gryffindor Common Room Sunday evening, Harry was writing a good-bye letter to Ginny.<p>

"Harry, you won't believe what I just found out!" she cried.

"What?" he asked.

"They're moving the date of Kingsley's funeral!"

That got Harry's attention.

"They're _moving_—"

"Yes! Now it's on Tuesday! They're trying to throw us off, that's why they're doing this, because they know people will take Kingsley's death as a sign to start a rebellion!"

"So, what do we do?" Harry asked.

"We can't let them throw us off, Harry! We're going to have to start the revolution a day earlier than planned!"

Harry stared at her.

"Hermione, there's not enough time—"

"We can make it work!" Hermione cried. "We can't allow them this victory!"

"Right," Harry said.

* * *

><p>On Monday evening, Cho was walking across the Hogwarts grounds, trying to find Harry; she wanted to be with him for the revolution. Roughly halfway between Hogsmeade and the school, she spotted a group of students. Realizing it was probably the D.A., Cho sprinted towards them.<p>

By the time she reached them, Cho was panting.

"Oh, hello, Cho," Luna said.

"Luna—do you know where Harry is?"

"Yes, he's over there," Luna said, pointing. Harry and Ron Weasley were busy organizing the medical supplies.

"Thank you, Luna," Cho said, jogging over to where Harry was. At the sound of her approaching, Harry turned around to face Cho.

Surprise flitted across his face.

"Cho—what're you doing here?"

"I wanted to be with you," Cho answered.

"You can't stay here—you might get hurt or killed—"Harry said.

"I've got you worried now!" Cho said. "That must mean you like me quite a lot!"

Harry didn't answer right away; after a brief pause, he dug something out of his robe. It was a letter. He handed it to her.

"Cho, will you deliver this to Ginny for me?"

Cho frowned.

"You have an owl," she reminded him.

"Please," he said. "You don't have to do it right this minute, but make sure it gets to her before tomorrow. I'm asking you as a friend."

Cho sighed.

"Fine. But can I at least help you guys finish setting up for tomorrow?"

She didn't want to leave yet.

Harry hesitated, then said,

"All right."

* * *

><p>At eleven o'clock on Monday night, long after Ginny had gone to bed, someone knocked several times on the front door.<p>

Sirius felt panic flare in him; was it Snape?

A voice came from the other side of the door.

"Ginny? Are you home?"

It was a girl's voice.

Sirius relaxed; it was probably just a friend of Ginny's from the school, wanting to say good-bye, or something like that. He walked across the room and opened the door.

A girl around Ginny's age with black hair was standing in at the doorway, clutching a letter.

"Hello," Sirius said.

"Hello," the girl said. "I'm Cho—is Ginny there? I have something for her."

"I'm Ginny's father," Sirius said. "Ginny's asleep, so I'll take it."

He held his hand out. Cho hesitated, then handed Sirius the letter.

"Go on home, and be careful tomorrow," Sirius said. He knew that since tomorrow was Kingsley's funeral, Ginny's revolutionary friends would probably start a rebellion of some sort.

Sirius shut the door, and sat down at the table. He unfolded the letter and read it.

_Dear Ginny,_

_I love you. I probably won't see you again, and I don't know if I'll be alive for much longer, so I need to write you this letter to tell you that. I love you very much. _

_I love you because you are astoundingly kind, independent, strong, and intelligent; not because you're beautiful, even though you are. Luna has told me much about you and I fell in love with you from a distance. It took me ages to gather the courage to speak with you._

_So, if I do die in the revolution, just remember that I love you, and that I am always thinking of you. Good-bye, Ginny. I love you._

_Harry _

Sirius stared at the letter. Ginny had a boyfriend? She'd been sneaking around behind his back? They were leaving tomorrow, so Ginny would probably never see this boy again. But this Harry clearly loved Ginny very much, and Sirius knew Ginny most likely loved him, as well.

He was going to have to go to rebellion tomorrow, and find this Harry person, and at least speak to him. Sirius sighed. Things had just gotten so much more complicated.

* * *

><p>There was going to be a rebellion tomorrow. That was the rumor floating around Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, and Severus had no doubt that it was true.<p>

Tomorrow, he'd investigate, and if it was true—which he knew it would be—he'd join the rebels' ranks, and destroy their little rebellion from the inside out. A rebellion would destroy everything, so the rebellion would have to be quashed.

* * *

><p>Cho trudged through the streets of Hogsmeade. What was she going to do tomorrow? If she joined Harry, she would probably die, but at least she'd die with Harry.<p>

And did it really matter if she died, anyway? Harry's world would keep on turning without her. He didn't love her, and he never would.

But Cho loved him, and she always would. She was going to join him in the revolution tomorrow.


	11. Chapter 11

**I finally got this written. Hopefully, since AP testing is done, I'll have more free time, but again, no promises.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Les Miserables.**

* * *

><p>Early the next morning, the students were down at the barricade. The Death Eaters had arrived shortly after. Not long after the Death Eaters arrived, a volunteer, who had given his name as 'Tobias', had shown up, offering to find out the Death Eaters plans; Hermione appraised him for a moment, and agreed.<p>

However, Harry noticed that Colin had looked at their volunteer oddly. When Harry asked Colin what was wrong, Colin's only answer was that he thought he'd seen the volunteer around somewhere, but couldn't recall where.

Shortly after arriving the volunteer took off to infiltrate the Death Eaters, and things were fairly quiet for awhile—until their volunteer came back.

"Well?" Hermione asked. "What do you know?"

"I overheard their plans," he said. "Be warned—they're a real threat."

Colin was frowning, studying the new recruit. There was something about him that was oddly familiar…

With a sudden jolt, he remembered where.

The new recruit was Severus Snape. Colin knew that there was no way he'd ever join their rebellion. He was here as a mole.

"There will be no attack tonight," Snape continued. "They intend to starve us out."

"Liar!" Colin shouted. "I know you! You were in Hogsmeade when Ginny and her father were attacked by Malfoy's gang! You're Severus Snape!"

Colin turned to Dumbledore's Army and added,

"So don't believe a word he says because none of it's true."

Snape plunged his hand into his robes for his wand, but Terry Boot quickly disarmed him.

"Great job, Colin," Ron said.

"What do we do with this snake in the grass?" Dean Thomas asked.

Hermione waved her wand, and Snape was bound with thick ropes.

Snape sneered at them.

"Kill me now or kill me later, I do not care which; I renounce your people's court!" he said.

Ron looked highly irritated.

"Gag the greasy git, too," he said. Hermione waved her wand again and a gag appeared over Snape's mouth. The Patil twins directed Snape towards the ammunition and sat him down.

"Hey!" Neville cried. "There's a girl running towards the barricade!"

A moment later, Neville added,

"She's hurt!"

Harry ran towards the edge of the barricade and saw a black-haired figure staggering and stumbling towards the barricade.

It was Cho.

"Cho!" he cried. "Cho!"

A spell hit her, and she hit the ground, blood rapidly pooling around her.

Without a second thought, Harry ran, leaving the safety of the magical barrier, and knelt at Cho's side.

She was very badly injured; she'd obviously been hit with many spells on her way here. Blood was pooling around her and her body was covered with gashes. A trail of scarlet blood was behind her. It was a miracle she hadn't died yet.

"Are you insane, Cho?" Harry cried. "Why'd you come back?"

"I—I just wanted to be with you," Cho whispered. A spell came hurtling towards them, but Harry deflected it.

"We need to get you some help," Harry said.

"Harry, it's—it's too late," Cho said weakly, but Harry picked her up and ran back behind the barricade, dodging spells aimed towards him.

Everyone was staring in shock and horror.

"Don't just stand there, go get some help! Get a healer!" Harry shouted.

"We have medical supplies, but we need someone with proper training," Susan Bones said.

"I'll go get Madam Pomfrey, then!" Harry cried. "She's just up at the school!"

"Harry, no!" Cho cried. "Please stay with me. I'm going to die, anyway."

"No, you won't Cho!" Harry cried. "You're going to live! I'm going to get help!"

"Don't fret, Harry," Cho said. "I don't feel any pain. Harry, please stay with me…just let it be."

Harry hesitated. Cho needed help from a trained healer immediately. Madam Pomfrey was just up at the school, but in the time it would take to fetch her (or bring Cho to her) Cho may die, anyway. And Cho's dark eyes were so full of begging and pleading, begging him to stay here with her.

"I'll stay with you," Harry said, holding Cho closer in his arms. Thunder cracked over head and rain started pouring down.

"It's raining, Harry," Cho said. "A little fall of rain can't hurt me now. You'll keep me safe, Harry. And rain makes the flowers grow."

Harry nodded, not quite sure what Cho was saying.

"Harry, I—I loved you," Cho said, her voice growing weaker.

Harry gaped.

"Oh, Cho, I didn't know—I'm so sorry, I'm such a _prat_," he said. He should have seen it, with how eager Cho was to make him happy. And he'd just made her feel worse by asking her to help him get together with Ginny.

"Harry, can I ask you something?" Cho said, her breaths becoming more and more labored.

"Anything, Cho," he said.

"When I die, kiss me on my forehead—I'll feel it, I promise," she said.

"Thank you, Harry," Cho said, almost inaudibly. Her eyes slid closed, her breaths slowed, and then finally stopped, and her body went slack.

"Cho!" Harry cried, choking back a sob. "Cho!"

She didn't answer. She was gone.

Harry gently pressed his lips to Cho's wet forehead.

The rain was coming down harder than ever.

Harry turned to look at his fellow Dumbledore's Army members. Everyone looked sad and solemn, and the Ravenclaws looked particularly devastated. Cho had once been in their house, after all.

"Harry, I'm so sorry," Hermione said, her voice laced with sympathy. "I know she meant a lot to you, and she was the first to fall."

"Her name was Cho," Harry said, forcing himself to keep the sobs at bay. "Her life was cold and dark, but she wasn't afraid. She was a good friend, loyal and brave."

"Her death won't be in vain, Harry," Hermione said.

"We'll fight in her name, mate," Ron added.

Luna came forward with a sheet.

"Here," she said. "We can wrap Cho's body in this. This way we can protect her body from any further harm."

"Thank you, Luna," Harry said, taking the sheet from her; he noticed that the rain was slowing to a drizzle.

Padma and Parvati Patil put up a tent for the dead and they put Cho's body there; they wouldn't be able to give Cho a proper burial until after the battle.

"It'll be okay, Harry," Luna said. "She's in a better place now."


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Les Miserables.**

* * *

><p>About a couple hours after Cho died, Neville cried out,<p>

"There's a man coming towards us."

Hermione went to investigate, and sure enough, a middle-aged man entered the safety of the magical barrier.

The members of the D.A. immediately raised their wands.

"Easy," Sirius said, raising his hands up in a non-threatening gesture. "I'm here as a volunteer."

He received several skeptical looks from the students.

"You're getting on in years," Seamus Finnegan pointed out.

"I can still help," Sirius replied.

Hermione's brown eyes were narrowed.

"You see that prisoner?" she asked, pointing to the bound and gagged Snape. "He came here as a volunteer, but in reality was a mole."

Recognition flitted across Sirius's face as he recognized Snape. Snape was simply giving him a look of complete and utter contempt.

"They're coming forward to attack!" Neville cried. Hermione turned; a crowd of Death Eaters was quickly approaching the barricade. They'd have to go out a force them back; they couldn't risk the Death Eaters breaking through the magical barrier.

Hermione turned back to Sirius.

"If you attack us when our backs our turned, we won't hesitate to strike you down," she warned.

Sirius nodded, pulling out his wand.

The students and Sirius ran out to confront the Death Eaters, and within a matter of seconds, spells were flying from every direction.

Sirius recognized Bellatrix, who appeared to be the leader. Apparently, she'd gotten out of Azkaban. Thankfully, she did not appear to recognize him.

She was, however, a good duelist; she was dueling Luna, Hermione, and Lavender Brown all at once.

Sirius himself was dueling Augustus Rookwood, who also had apparently gotten out of Azkaban.

Over the course of the battle, which lasted just under an hour, a handful Death Eaters were killed and miraculously, the students and Sirius were alright, although a quite few were wounded.

"The cowards are falling back!" Fred Weasley called.

It was true; Bellatrix had just told them to retreat.

"They're regrouping," Padma Patil said. "This isn't going to be last time we see them."

Out of the corner of his eye, Sirius spotted a Death Eater still hanging around, holding a wand pointed at Hermione's back.

"Look out!" he cried, darting forward. He shot a curse at the Death Eater, and the Death Eater's throat was slashed. Blood poured out and the Death Eater fell to the ground and convulsed for a few minutes before falling still.

Hermione looked at Sirius.

"Thank you," she said.

"Good job," Dean Thomas said, looking impressed.

"You don't need to thank me," Sirius said as he and the student returned to the safety of the magical barrier. "I just want one thing; the spy, Snape. I want to take care of him."

Snape looked outraged, but obviously could not say anything.

"He's yours," Hermione said. "Do what you have to."

Sirius nodded and hauled Snape to his feet, directing him out of the sight of the students at the barricade.

Sirius waved his wand and vanished Snape's gag.

"You've waited your whole life for this, haven't you, Black?" Snape sneered. "You can finally kill me."

"Shut up, Snivellus," Sirius snapped. Snape's eyes flashed at the taunt.

Sirius pointed his wand at Snape's bonds and said,

"_Diffindo."_

The bonds split and fell to the ground.

Snape looked at Sirius incredulously.

"What are you doing, Black?" he hissed.

"What's it look like?" Sirius snarled. "I'm cutting you free!"

"Freeing me won't make me stop pursuing you," Snape said.

"I didn't expect it to," Sirius replied.

"Liar!" Snape snarled. "I know you, Black! You don't do anything for anyone unless there's something in it for you!"

Sirius's temper flared, but he kept it under control.

"You're wrong, Snape," Sirius said. "You've always been wrong. I'm a person, no better or worse than any other person."

Snape sneered at him.

"Go ahead and kill me, Black," he said. "I know you want to, and you should just kill me."

Sirius shook his head 'no'.

"Go," he said. "Now. I cut you free and I'm not expecting anything in return. Get out of here. The others won't be so lenient."

Snape looked at him suspiciously.

Sirius sighed hissed,

"I'll tell them I killed you. Now get out of here. _Now_."

Snape stared at Sirius.

"We'll see each other again," Snape said. "Nothing will make me stop hunting you."

"I know."

Snape glowered, and turned on his heel and stalked away. Sirius stared after him, desperately hoping that he hadn't made a huge mistake.

* * *

><p>"It's done," Sirius said, rejoining the students.<p>

Hermione nodded.

The rest of the day passed quietly, and soon, night had set in.

Harry took a bottle of butterbeer, which was being passed out by the Weasley twins. When everyone had a butterbeer, Fred raised his goblet and said,

"To Cho."

The other students followed suite, but pain flashed across Harry's face and he took a sip of butterbeer. Cho was dead because of him; if he hadn't been so selfish, she'd still be alive.

His mind flashed to Ginny; now that she was leaving and Cho was dead, he didn't really think he had much to live for if he survived. Life without Ginny meant nothing.

* * *

><p>Sirius took a sip of butterbeer.<p>

"Here's to friendship," Anthony Goldstein said.

"Hear, hear," the other students cried.

"Here's to pretty girls," George Weasley said, winking at Angelina Johnson, who rolled her eyes at him.

"Hey, Harry, mate, you alright?"

At the name 'Harry', Sirius looked in the direction the voice had come from. Ron Weasley was talking to a boy with messy black hair.

Harry didn't answer; Sirius noticed that he looked pained, worn down, and tired. He had heard that Harry was close with a girl named Cho, who had died at the barricade shortly before he arrived.

With a sudden jolt, Sirius remembered that he had spoken to Cho the previous night. She'd delivered Ginny's letter.

"Do you think Ginny would cry for me if I fell?" Harry asked.

"Course she would," Ron said. "She loves you."

There was a silence between the two.

_So this is the Harry that Ginny loves_, Sirius realized.

As the night went on, the students began to fall asleep.

Sirius looked at Harry's sleeping form late that night; he was so young, and Ginny loved him.

Sirius had seen how bravely Harry had fought against the Death Eaters earlier; the boy was very courageous, despite losing a friend a couple of hours prior to the battle.

He was going to bring Harry home to Ginny. It was the least they deserved.

Besides, Harry was just a boy.

Even if it killed him, Sirius was going to ensure that Harry lived for Ginny.


	13. Chapter 13

**Don't expect update to always be this quick; it probably won't happen.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Les Miserables.**

* * *

><p>When morning arrived, it was quiet—and still, no one besides Sirius had come as a volunteer.<p>

"I don't get it," Ron said. "Why aren't more people coming to help us?"

"They're scared," Ernie Macmillan said. "The Death Eaters are terrifying to everyone."

"We've been abandoned by them," Hermione said.

"We won't abandon them," Dean Thomas said.

"The Death Eaters!" Neville cried. "They're back!"

Hermione turned around; a group of Death Eaters were quickly approaching the barricade.

Fear flitted across Dennis Creevey's face as explosives hit the magical barrier; thankfully, it held. Various students took turns darting out of the barrier to fight back the Death Eaters.

"Seamus!" Hermione said. "How're we on ammunition?"

"We all obviously have wands, but we're low on ammunition," Seamus said. "Dangerously low. We're completely out of explosives."

"I'll go out a get some off the dead Death Eaters," Harry volunteered.

"Harry, no!" Hermione shouted. "It's too risky!"

"That's true for anyone!" Harry shouted back.

"I'll go," Sirius said. "I'm old and have nothing to fear. He's just a boy."

Hermione appraised him for a moment, and then nodded in agreement.

Unbeknownst to them, Dennis and Colin Creevey were listening closely.

"They need someone quick," Dennis said. "We'll go! We're little people, we can move quickly!"

Colin nodded in agreement; he wanted to do _something _to help, and he and Dennis had been kept to the sidelines because they were the smallest (and youngest) ones there.

"You need someone quick, so Dennis and I volunteer!" Colin called out, as he and Dennis ran out of the safety of the magical barrier.

"Dennis! Colin!" Neville shouted. "Don't you dare! Both of you, get back here!"

"Bring them back!" Parvati Patil shouted.

"They're already out," Hannah Abbot said, her voice solemn. " They're too far away. It's too late."

* * *

><p>"We'll show them what little people can do," Dennis said. Both pulled out a bag and started plucking ammunition off dead Death Eaters—most of it was explosives.<p>

Colin glanced over at Dennis every so often; he didn't want to be _too _far from his brother. But even so, he couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement; they'd show them what little people could do.

A jet of green light whizzed past him. Fear twisted in his stomach, but he continued going from body to body, collecting unused explosives. Little people may be small, but they didn't give up.

Suddenly a voice roared,

"_AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

Colin looked over in time to see a jet of bright green light hit his brother. Dennis fell to the ground, dead.

"Dennis!" Colin cried. "_Dennis_!"

Of course, Dennis didn't answer. Choking back sobs, Colin fumbled for his wand and summoned Dennis's dropped bag of collected explosives. Dennis would want the bag to reach his friends at the barrier.

Dennis was gone. His little brother was dead.

A curse was hurled towards him, but he ducked.

"_Expelliarmus!"_ another Death Eater cried. The jet of red light hit him, and Colin's wand was jerked out of his hand and flew a few feet away, out of reach. Colin clutched the bags of explosives closer and started edging back towards the barricade.

Another jet of green light flew past him, narrowly missing him. If he was killed out here, it would have all been for nothing. He had to make sure that the bags made it to the barricade.

He hurled the bags at the barrier, and the bags dropped at the edge of the barricade.

Parvati quickly brought them into back into the safety of the magical barrier.

"Colin, come on!" she shouted; Colin didn't miss the horror on Parvati's face.

Colin started back, but a voice—the same one that shouted the curse that killed Dennis—screamed,

_"Avada Kedavra!"_

Colin turned in time to see a jet of green light rushing towards him.

Everything went dark.


	14. Chapter 14

**Okay, apparently, I lied about not having the next chapter up so quickly. Here's the next chapter; I hope it's okay. I was originally going to put the event at the end of the chapter in the next chapter, but it wound up in this chapter anyway.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Les Miserables.**

* * *

><p>The students at the barricade could only watch in horror as Dennis Creevey was murdered in cold blood, followed by his brother, Colin.<p>

They had been children; how could the Death Eaters cut down innocent children like that?

But while it was horrible, it wasn't surprising; Death Eaters didn't care who they killed.

A magically magnified voice rang out across the grounds.

"You at the barricades, listen! You've been abandoned to your fate! You must surrender!"

"Not when we've come so far!" Neville exclaimed.

"You don't have a choice! You must give up! There's no reason to throw your lives away!"

Harry let out a disbelieving snort.

"Right," he said. "We give up now, and they'll just let us skip on home, will they?"

"We may die, but at least we'll die with honor; facing our enemies," Dean said.

"We'll make them pay for everyone they killed," Hermione cried. "For Cho, Dennis, Colin, and so many others!"

It was highly unlikely that they would win; the members of Dumbledore's Army knew that. But if they died, they would die fighting for what they believed in.

Hermione's exclamation was all the incentive the Death Eaters needed; they charged towards the magical barrier, firing spell after spell, and hurling explosives at it.

Once again, students took turns darting out in an attempt to fight back Death Eaters, but this time, it happened.

The Death Eaters broke through the barrier.

It was pandemonium.

Spells were flying from every direction; a jet of green light hit Ernie Macmillan in the chest, and he fell to the ground, dead. A wild curse hit Luna, slashing her throat, and she fell to the ground, scarlet blood pouring out, convulsing.

Anthony Goldstein went to go help his fellow Ravenclaw, but August Rookwood hit him in the back with a Killing Curse, and fell lifelessly to the ground.

A few moments later, Luna stopped twitching, her blue eyes fluttered closed, and her breathing stopped.

"Come on, everyone, we need to focus! In position!" Hermione cried, but to no avail; chaos reigned.

Rodolphus Lestrange fired a Killing Curse at Hannah Abbot, and she fell dead to the ground.

Neville gave a roar of outrage and engaged in a duel with Rodolphus, but Rebastian Lestrange teamed up against Neville, and hit him in the chest with a Killing Curse.

A sudden explosion wracked the grounds; Fred and George Weasley, who'd been at the center of the explosion, were killed instantly. Padma and Parvati Patil were also lying dead near the Weasley twins.

Dean was lying dead next to Parvati Patil, and Seamus's gut was blown open from the explosion, and he was quickly dying.

To Sirius's horror, Harry had been caught in the explosion as well, and was lying on the ground, covered with gashes and burns. Sirius was caught was hit by a Disarming Charm and his wand went flying, but Sirius didn't go to retrieve it. Dodging flying spells, Sirius shielded Harry's body with his own, and quietly carried him off—he needed to get Harry help, now.

* * *

><p>At the barricades, Ron and Hermione were the only ones still standing; everyone else had been killed.<p>

For a moment, Hermione wondered if she should tell Ron her feelings, but just then a jet of green light hit Ron in the back, and he collapsed to the ground, dead.

"Ron!" Hermione shrieked hysterically. "_Ron_!"

Bellatrix cackled insanely.

"Aww," she sneered. "Did you _love _him, little Mudblood?"

Hermione snarled, but it was over; they'd lost. Everyone else was dead. Ron was dead—pain twisted in her stomach as she thought of Ron.

But she wasn't going to give up; not now, not ever.

Hermione raised her wand, but Rookwood was quicker.

"_Avada Kedavra!" _he cried.

The green light illuminated Hermione, and then she fell lifelessly to the ground.

The magical barrier had fallen.

The Death Eaters had defeated Dumbledore's Army.

* * *

><p>Sirius was running as fast as possible towards Hogsmeade; he'd thought about taking Harry up to the school, but the Death Eaters would have guards stationed there; the guards would realize who they were and kill them. He had to get Harry home to Ginny, and from there, they could get him to Saint Mungo's.<p>

Upon entering Hogsmeade, Sirius noticed people patrolling the town. They worked for the Death Eaters; of course, they'd have people patrolling the town, as well. He'd been stupid to think that they wouldn't.

He glanced around anxiously, looking for a way to transport Harry to Ginny without being seen.

His eyes fell on the cover to the Hogsmeade sewers. Maybe…

Sirius set Harry gently on the ground and heaved the sewer cover off.

"Don't move, Black!" a familiar voice said.

Sirius turned to see Severus Snape striding towards him, holding a new wand.

Sirius groaned.

_For Merlin's sake, of all the times for him to show up, why now?_

"I told you I wouldn't stop pursuing you, Black," Snape said.

"Snape, listen—this boy is gravely injured and he needs to get to Saint Mungo's—just let me take him there, and I swear I'll come back," Sirius said.

"I don't want to hear any of your pathetic excuses, Black," Snape sneered. "Come with me."

"Are you blind?" Sirius snapped. "He's only a boy, and he'll die soon without help! Just this once! In case you've forgotten, I saved your life! You at least owe me this one thing, Snape!"

Snape looked engraged, and hissed,

"Go! Take him and go! I'll be waiting for you here, 24601. If you're not back in two hours—"

"I will be," Sirius said, and picked up Harry and entered the sewer.

Snape stood at the open sewer hole, and then with a flick of his wand, recovered it.

Why had he done that? Why had he let _Sirius Black_, of all people, go? And covered his tracks?

Simply because Black had saved his life?

Snape suddenly found himself wishing Black had just killed him; why hadn't he? He was a murderer. Growling in frustration, Snape turned, exited Hogsmeade and headed towards the Black Lake.

* * *

><p>When he reached the Black Lake, he stared at his own reflection, pondering.<p>

What was _wrong_ with Black, anyway? Severus had been caught, and Black had let him go free. Severus gripped his wand tighter. He certainly didn't Black's pity.

A twinge of doubt entered Severus's mind.

But was it pity? Perhaps Black just wasn't evil?

But that thought was ridiculous. Black had been a despicable bully in school and had killed thirteen people at the age of twenty-one.

Of course, Black insisted he was framed by Peter Pettigrew. But that also couldn't be true, since Pettigrew had been one of the murdered.

It couldn't be true unless Pettigrew faked his own death. But even if it were true, he couldn't just let the man who'd tormented him for seven years go free.

But because Severus owed him, he couldn't turn him in, either.

But the fact of the matter was, he just _couldn't _go in living in _Sirius Black's _debt.

So what could he do? Something occurred to him; there was only one thing he _could _do, since he could neither turn Black in nor let him go free.

He swiftly walked to the deep end of the lake.

Severus took a deep breath, and jumped into the lake.

He let himself sink lower, his consciousness fading as he sank, until blackness finally took him over.


	15. Chapter 15

**Here's the next chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Les Miserables.**

* * *

><p>It was really quite filthy down here, Sirius noticed. Granted, he didn't really know what he expected; it <em>was <em>a sewer, after all. He was trudging through the sewers more slowly than he would have liked, since the overpowering stench was making him rather dizzy and nauseous. Also, Harry's dead weight was slowing him down further, but it was definitely preferable to risking being caught.

If he was caught, then Harry would die for certain.

The farther he went in the sewers, the more overpowering the horrid stench got, and the dizzier and weaker he got. Finally, he had no choice but to set Harry down briefly, fall to his knees and regain his bearings. He failed to notice the figure nearby.

* * *

><p>When Lucius had told Narcissa about his idea to go into the sewers of Hogsmeade, she simply wrinkled her nose in disgust and said,<p>

"Why would you want to go down there, Lucius? It's filthy."

He then told her that since people sometimes lost things down in the sewers, he thought he could perhaps come across some Galleons, or maybe even an item that he could sell. Sure, it was a bit crude, but it was necessary; it was a world where dogs ate dogs, after all.

Right now, he was standing near an exit, watching a man set what looked like a corpse down on the ground and sink to his knees; Lucius supposed the smell down here _was _dizzying.

Lucius crept closer, and realized the figure was Sirius Black, the man who took Ginny away. Coming even closer, Lucius noticed something sticking out of the corpse's pocket. It looked like some sort of cloak or something—he knelt next to the corpse and grabbed it.

He recognized what the item was immediately—it was an invisibility cloak.

This was fantastic—he could sell it for a high price—or perhaps use it as blackmail material. He pocketed it, and got to his feet.

The next moment, he was aware of a fist hitting him across the face. In surprise, Lucius fell to the ground.

"Get away from him," Sirius snarled, who'd apparently regained his bearings. Lucius started to reach for his wand, but then thought better of it; he had the invisibility cloak from the corpse; he could easily blackmail Black.

He got to his feet.

"Which way is out?" Sirius demanded.

"Down that way," Lucius said, pointing down farther, where a ladder leading out of the sewer was located. "You better be watching yourself, Black."

If Sirius heard the threat, he ignored it; he picked up the body, and headed to the ladder. He set the body down again, climbed up the ladder and shifted the sewer cover enough to make a sizable exit. Sirius climbed back down the ladder, retrieved the body, and exited the sewer.

Lucius continued on his way; he could take care of Black later.

* * *

><p>After exiting the sewer, it didn't take Sirius long to reach his house; he entered in a rush and headed towards the fireplace. Ginny came running downstairs, probably hearing him enter.<p>

"Dad, what's going on—"

Her sentence stopped short when she saw Harry, her face going pale and her brown eyes widening in horror.

"Harry! _Harry!_" she cried.

"Ginny, we have to get him to Saint Mungo's," Sirius said, his voice low and urgent. Ginny nodded, her face still pale.

They wasted no more time, and flooed to Saint Mungo's.

* * *

><p>When they arrived, Harry was rushed into urgent care; as of now, it was unclear whether or not Harry would survive. Ginny had sent word to James, Harry's father. Now, she was pacing in the waiting room, nervously awaiting word of Harry's condition.<p>

"Ginny," Sirius said. Ginny jumped slightly, and turned to face him.

"Yes?" she whispered.

"I have to return to Hogsmeade to do something," he said. "Harry's father will be here in a little bit."

Ginny looked confused.

"When will you be back?" she asked. She didn't want him to leave, but she also knew that it must be very important.

Sirius hesitated; he couldn't tell her the truth, it would break her heart.

"I don't know," Sirius said. He quickly flooed back to the house.

* * *

><p>Without a dying Harry to take care of, Sirius reached the spot where he'd promised to return to quite quickly.<p>

Snape was nowhere to be found. Sirius glanced around, confused, but Snape wasn't there.

He shrugged, and started back towards the house. It seemed like Snape had decided to let him go, after all. This struck him as odd, since Snape hated him with a passion, but Sirius wasn't going to complain; at least he didn't have to go back to Azkaban.

It wasn't until a week later that Snape's body was pulled out of the Black Lake.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Les Miserables.**

* * *

><p>Harry survived. It was almost two weeks later when the healers at Saint Mungo's decided he was well enough to go home. Ginny, Harry, James, and Sirius all ended up staying at James and Harry's place in Godric's Hollow.<p>

Harry spent a lot of time alone in his room.

They were dead. His friends were dead. His friends were all _dead_. He was the only one who survived. Cho, Hermione, Luna, Ron, Neville—all of them were gone.

And for what? They hadn't won. They'd talked of revolution, but the revolution was over and they had lost.

With a pang, Harry recalled what Hermione had often said:

'_There's a life about to start when tomorrow comes_'.

But, of course, 'tomorrow' never came.

Finally, one day, Ginny entered Harry's room, looking very frustrated.

"Harry, you can't keep to yourself like this all the time! We can help you, but only if we see you!" Ginny cried, and then lowered her voice. "I know how you feel."

"No you don't!" Harry snarled. "My friends are _dead_, Ginny! You haven't got a single _clue _about how I feel!"

"They were my friends, too!" Ginny shouted back. "Hermione and Luna were my friends, too! You're not the only one who's hurting!"

Harry looked at her.

"Sorry," he said quietly, realizing she was right.

"It's alright," Ginny said. "I shouldn't have shouted."

"Harry, they wouldn't want you to be like this," Ginny continued, her tone gentle. "They'd want you to be happy. Hermione, Luna, and—and Cho would want you to be happy."

Ginny stuttered slightly on Cho's name since Cho was a sensitive topic with Harry.

Harry nodded, feeling another pang as he thought of the friend that died because of him.

"It's not your fault," Ginny told him. "So don't blame yourself. Cho wouldn't blame you, and she wouldn't want you to blame yourself. It's You-Know-Who's fault, and it's the Death Eaters' fault, but it isn't your fault."

Harry looked at her; she was right, but he couldn't help but feel guilty that he lived and his friends were gone.

"It'll be okay," Ginny said.

* * *

><p>"Harry, each day you walk with a stronger step," Ginny said a week later, as they walked through the house.<p>

Harry looked at her; it still hurt, but being with Ginny made it bearable.

"Ginny, I can't imagine life without you," Harry said. His nerves were all over the place; he needed to ask this now, before he lost his courage.

Ginny looked at him.

"That's true for me, too, Harry," she said. "Earlier, I was so scared you would—well you're here, and that's what matters."

"Ginny, will you marry me?" Harry asked. Ginny, who was not expecting this, was left breathless, her brown eyes looking into his green ones.

The moment she registered what Harry had just asked her, she pressed her lips to his.

"Yes!" Ginny cried when they broke apart. "Of course I will! There'll be a lot of preparations, though."

Harry beamed.

"My dad can find someone to do the ceremony," Harry said.

"You'll have to talk to my father," Ginny said. "It wouldn't be right if you didn't."

As if on cue, Sirius came down the stairs.

"Dad!" Ginny cried, running towards him. Harry followed, feeling very apprehensive.

"We have to tell you something," Ginny continued. She turned to Harry expectantly.

"I want to marry Ginny," Harry said, feeling more nervous than he could ever remember feeling.

Sirius looked at Harry, and then at Ginny.

"Dad, I love Harry, and I said yes," she said.

"If it will make you happy, then you have my blessing," Sirius said.

Ginny threw her arms around Sirius in a bone-crushing hug.

"Thank you so much, Dad," she said.

When Ginny went to go talk to James about the wedding, Sirius turned to Harry.

"I need to talk to you," Sirius told him.

"Uh—okay," Harry said, feeling highly anxious.

Harry and Sirius went up into Harry's room, and Harry closed the door.

"I can't thank you enough for letting me marry Ginny," Harry said. "You can come and visit us anytime, you're family now."

"Like I said before, if Ginny's happy, then I'm happy," Sirius said. "But there's something else I need to tell you and do."

"What?" Harry asked, curiosity piqued.

There was an awkward silence before Sirius began speaking.

"Once there was a man named Sirius Black who was framed for mass murder by another man named Peter Pettigrew. He was convicted and sent to Azkaban for twenty years before being granted parole. He broke his parole and spent the next several years, up until today avoiding Azkaban guards."

Harry realized what he was getting at.

"You're Sirius Black," he said. He couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He knew that Azkaban had framed prisoners; it had been one of the problems Hermione had wanted to fix.

"I need to leave," Sirius said. "Disappear."

"What?" Harry cried. "Why? I don't care—Azkaban has more framed prisoners that just you, it was one of the problems we wanted to fix—"

"If I'm caught, it'll ruin Ginny's life," Sirius interjected flatly. "And after lying to her for so long about who I am—it would break her heart. Me leaving will hurt her, but not as much as the truth would, and you'll make her happy."

Harry sighed, knowing he couldn't talk Sirius out of this.

"What am I supposed to tell Ginny?" he said. "She won't believe just anything."

"Tell her I'm going to America and didn't have it in me to say good-bye," Sirius said. "Going to America was something I had planned."

"Fine," Harry said, not liking it one bit. "I'll do it."

"Thank you," Sirius said, exiting the room.

Harry followed, watching as Sirius left the house and disapparated with a crack.


	17. Chapter 17

**Well, here's the last chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Les Miserables.**

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><p>Months later, it was wedding day. It was quite a decent turnout, all things considered. Most of the guests were friends of Harry's dad, but it was still the happiest moment of Harry's life.<p>

Ginny certainly looked the happiest Harry had seen her in months—ever since her father left, she'd been down, but the wedding brought back her happiness in full swing.

As he was dancing with Ginny at the reception, however, he noticed three guests there that hadn't been at the wedding.

They were a man, a woman, and a son, all blonde.

Despite the fact that they'd managed to get their hands on new and expensive dress robes, Harry recognized them immediately; they were the Malfoys.

"Perfect," Harry muttered as his and Ginny's dance came to a halt. "Just _perfect_."

"What is it?" Ginny asked, following his line of sight. Then she, too, frowned.

"Isn't that Cho's family?" she asked.

"Yeah," Harry said. "They've got a lot of nerve, showing up here. Come on."

Holding Ginny's hand, he stormed over to the Malfoys, nearly knocking over Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks.

"What the _hell _are you guys doing here?" Harry snarled.

Lucius donned a look of shock.

"No need to be so touchy, Potter, just wanted to wish you and your bride our best," he said coolly.

Harry nearly snorted.

"You know, most of our wedding guests are on a first-name basis with us," he said. "Now, I'll ask you one more time: _why are you here_?"

"I told you he wouldn't buy it, Lucius," Narcissa said. "Just tell the boy what you know."

"I have news about Ginny's father. He's not what you think he is," Lucius said.

Ginny looked surprised, then angry; Harry's blood ran cold. They couldn't know about Sirius being a convict, could they?

"Tell us what you know," Harry demanded in a low voice.

Draco cast them a look of disdain.

"Why should we tell _you_?" he asked. "You're just a couple of blood-traitors."

Ginny dug into her pocket and extracted a handful of Galleons.

"Start talking," she said coldly. Lucius took the money, looking gleeful.

"The girl's father—he's a murderer," Lucius said.

Ginny bristled.

"He is _not_—my father would _never_—" Ginny snarled, but Lucius cut across her.

"Let me finish girl," he hissed.

Ginny fell silent, and Lucius continued.

"I ran into Sirius Black that night in the sewers, the night the barricade fell; he had a corpse over his back," Lucius said.

"I'll fill you in later," Harry whispered to Ginny, spotting the look of confusion on her face at the name 'Sirius Black'.

"And if you still don't believe me, I got a—souvenir—from the corpse," Lucius went on, pulling out a silvery cloak. "I took this from the corpse on his back."

Harry recognized the cloak immediately. It was his invisibility cloak. He snatched it up immediately.

"I know this," he whispered. "It's my invisibility cloak!"

He'd wondered what had happened to it, but finally came to the conclusion it'd been lost at the barricade—and he'd been more concerned with who it was who _rescued _him from the barricade.

With a sudden jolt, Harry realized that meant that it had been _Sirius_ who'd rescued him from the barricade.

Sirius had saved his life, and Harry had just let him leave, without a single 'thank you'.

He felt like a complete prat.

"Oh, Merlin," he whispered. "It was Sirius—your father, Ginny—_he _saved me from the barricade."

He glanced back at the Malfoys, who were counting the Galleons with glee; the fact the their daughter (in Draco's case, sister) had _died _just months previously didn't seem to affect them at all.

He handed the invisibility cloak to Ginny.

"Here, Mr_._ Malfoy. Take one more thing," Harry said, clenching his fist.

"What?" Lucius asked.

"This!" Harry said, and punched Lucius square in the face. Lucius stumbled back from the force of the blow, blood gushing from his nose.

"That was for Cho," Harry snapped. "She deserved better. Sirius. Where is he?"

"A house in the country—outside Ottery St. Catchpole," Lucius said, and then gave Harry and Ginny the address.

Harry nodded.

"Now, stay _away_ from us, Malfoy," Harry said. "Get out."

As the Malfoys were escorted out, Harry grabbed Ginny's hand, and pulled her to a corner.

"Harry, what's going on?" she cried. "He called my father 'Sirius' but my father's name is Reg—"

"Ginny, listen to me," Harry said. "Your father's real name is Sirius Black. 'Reg' was an alias. He was falsely imprisoned for mass murder, and he left because he was afraid that if he got caught, it would ruin your life. He also rescued me from the barricade, and I let him go with saying 'thank you'. We're going to go see him again, Ginny."

"You told me he went to America!" Ginny cried, glaring at him. "You _lied _to me?"

"He told me to, Ginny," Harry said. "I'm sorry. But we're going to go see him at his place in the country, and everything will be alright again."

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><p>Sirius Black folded the parchment and placed it in an envelope, sealed it, and wrote Ginny's name on it. The parchment contained his story—and Ginny's—, from his imprisonment until now.<p>

He was dying, and Ginny had a right to know the truth.

It wasn't a surprise that he was dying; he was old (not by wizarding standards, but due to inbreeding, Blacks weren't known for long life spans), and fighting on the barricade had _not _been good for his health.

He _was_, however, surprised, when Harry Potter came bursting through the door of his home, Ginny is tow.

"Sirius!" Harry cried, kneeling next to him; Ginny did the same. "I'm so _sorry_! You saved me, and I never even thanked you—can you forgive a thankless man?"

"There's nothing to forgive," Sirius said weakly, giving Harry a weak smile.

"Dad?" Ginny cried, taking in his less-than-stellar appearance. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

"Ginny," he whispered, taking in the anxious face of the girl he loved as his own daughter. With a shaking hand, he grabbed the envelope and gave it to her. She took it.

"Ginny, my time has come," Sirius said.

"No!" Ginny cried, tears welling up in her brown eyes. "Dad, you're going to live!"

"That letter I gave you is my story, and yours, Ginny—it's about those who always loved you. Your mother gave her life for you and gave you to my keeping," Sirius said, feeling himself growing weaker.

He thought he heard Lily whispering in his ear.

"I'm ready, Lily," he whispered.

Ginny began calling for him more anxiously; Harry wrapped his arms around her.

It broke Sirius's heart to leave Ginny, but he had no choice; it was his time.

He let go, and let himself drift away.

Ginny dissolved into sobs when she realized Sirius was dead. Harry held her, telling her over and over again it was going to be alright; he didn't really know what else to do—he wasn't good with crying girls, and on top of that, Ginny rarely cried.

"Come on, Ginny," Harry said when Ginny's sobs started to die down. "Let's go home."

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><p>About a week after Sirius's death, Ginny opened the letter, and she and Harry read it together.<p>

It explained everything: how Pettigrew had framed him, from Lily having to support a daughter on her own to her death, and Lily entrusting Ginny to Sirius, and being chased by Snape. It also mentioned Ginny's time spent with the Malfoys and their treatment of her. It detailed Sirius's and Ginny's move to Hogsmeade.

Then, Cho's name came up.

Harry loved Ginny with all his heart, but he would always care about Cho.

The barricade came after that, and he'd gone there just make sure Harry didn't get killed; he'd done it for Ginny.

It also mentioned Snape again—Sirius had let Snape go instead of killing him, and then his (assumed by the press) suicide.

Harry had wondered why someone like Snape would kill himself; he supposed he just couldn't live with being in Sirius's debt.

Sirius rescuing Harry came after that, and then his decision to leave, and the only thing after that was Sirius acknowledging that he was dying.

Ginny closed the letter.

"I never knew," was the only thing she could say. "He never told me."

"He didn't want to hurt you," Harry said. "They both loved you very much—Sirius and your mother."

Ginny nodded, her throat too tight to speak.

There was a silence until Harry spoke again.

"We can still make a difference, you know," he said. "We can still fight to make the world a better place."

Ginny met his gaze; Harry placed his lips against hers.

"We may have lost the battle, but we haven't lost the war," Harry said when they broke apart.

Ginny smiled at him.

"Like Hermione always said," Ginny said. "There's a life about to start when tomorrow comes."


End file.
